​​​“While there will not be a festival this year, we were happy to be able to share 31 days of unique jazz performances by Atlanta artists throughout May, and will work to reschedule the Atlanta Jazz Festival for a future date that will ensure festival goers’ well-being and safety,” said Camille Russell Love, executive director of the Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs.

A Grammy award-winning saxophonist, Mace Hibbard has quickly established himself as one of the most exciting and versatile saxophonists on the scene today. He is an artist whose technical mastery and understanding of jazz create a unique sound. Hibbard has performed throughout the United States and Europe, sharing the stage with icons such as Quincy Jones, Jerry Douglas, Jamie Cullum, and many others.

​I always make the reference that Julie Dexter is my Beyonce. What I mean by that is, although I would love to meet Beyonce, I get just as anxious when I see Julie Dexter, as I would if I saw Beyonce! I really admire Julie because not only is she a great vocalist but she is also a supporter of When We Speak TV! You may remember that a few years back, I sat down and spoke with her at the release of her album, New Again.

​​Atlanta, GA --- Join Hammonds House Digital for An Evening withjessica Care moore. She will read poetry from her new book, We Want Our Bodies Back, and engage in conversation with Hammonds House Executive Director Leatrice Ellzy Wright on Friday, May 29 at 7 pm. Tickets to this virtual event are free, but an RSVP is required. Register HERE.

​Reflecting her transcendent electric voice, We Want Our Bodies Back is a searing poetry collection filled with moving, original stanzas that speak to both Black women’s creative and intellectual power, and express the pain, sadness, and anger of those who suffer constant scrutiny because of their gender and race. Fierce and passionate, moore argues that Black women spend their lives building a physical and emotional shelter to protect themselves from misogyny, criminalization, hatred, stereotypes, sexual assault, objectification, patriarchy, and death threats. We Want Our Bodies Back is an exploration—and defiant stance against—these many attacks. You can purchase copies of the book HERE from Charis Books & More.Hammonds House Museum is generously supported by the Fulton County Board of Commissioners, Fulton County Arts and Culture, and the City of Atlanta Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs.

A Professor of Performance and Director of Jazz Studies at Emory University, Gary Motley is best known for his captivating performances and classic yet modern sound. He has received awards from the National Endowment for the Arts, the Great American Jazz Piano Competition, and the American Composers Forum. Motley has also performed with the likes of Dave Brubeck, Kenny Barron, Regina Carter, and others.

Based on an abundance of caution due to the coronavirus pandemic and keeping the public’s safety as a top priority, the Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs has decided to postpone the 43rd annual Atlanta Jazz Festival previously scheduled for Memorial Day Weekend, May 23 – 24. Organizers are currently exploring alternative dates to hold the festival in 2020.

​“This was a very challenging decision as the Atlanta Jazz Festival is a time honored and treasured tradition,” said OCA Executive Director Camille Love. “

And while Memorial Day weekend falls beyond the shelter-in-place timeframe, large gatherings are still being discouraged. With 150,000 attendees typically attending our event in Piedmont Park, we thought it best to find other dates later this year,” she added.

​Other festival programming has also been affected by the postponement, including canceling the May 22 India.Arie concert and the May 23 Late Night Jazz Jam, featuring the Irreversible Entanglements.

On a brighter note, the OCA is creating a new program called “Atlanta Jazz Festival Sessions,” which will not only celebrate the 31 Days of Jazz in May, but also give a specially-curated list of Atlanta jazz artists the opportunity to perform virtually for thousands of viewers via the Atlanta Jazz Festival social media platforms. More details will be provided soon.

​The French Quarter Festival is the largest showcase of Louisiana music in the world. More than 20 stages throughout the French Quarter celebrate local music and represents various genres from traditional and contemporary jazz to R&B, New Orleans funk, folk, gospel, Latin, Zydeco, Cajun, cabaret, and more.